Telescoping rod assemblies are incorporated into many mechanical devices. These assemblies typically include an outer, female, tubular section into which a inner, male, tubular section is seated and a locking device for holding the tubes in a rigid connection relative to each other. Telescoping rods employed as the legs of tripods and monopods provide support for cameras and scientific instruments. Still other telescoping rod assemblies are employed as extension handles for tools such as paint rollers and the like. Telescoping rods are also used in other assemblies, including permanent and temporary support beams, such as drapery rods. Thus, telescoping rods are used wherever there is a need to provide variable length support rods.
A disadvantage of many current telescoping rods is that it is a relatively complicated procedure to set their overall length. A telescoping rod is typically configured so that after the positions of the inner and outer tube sections are adjusted relative to each other, one or both of the tube sections needs to be held in a static position while the locking assembly is tightened to secure the tubes. Thus, it usually takes a minimum of two hands to adjust the length of a telescoping rod assembly; one hand to hold one of the tube sections in position relative to the other tube section, and a second hand to secure the locking assembly. In some instances, three hands are required to adjust the assembly; two hands to hold the tube sections in position relative to each other and a third hand to secure the locking assembly. This need to use two hands, and sometimes three hands, to hold a telescoping rod at the desired length while simultaneously locking it in position often makes the rod adjustment and locking processes awkward tasks to perform.
There have been attempts to provide telescoping rod assemblies with locking assemblies that are designed to lock and release the associated rod sections with the rotation of one of the tube sections. A disadvantage of some of these assemblies is that they are composed of numerous parts, one or more of which is often disposed inside both the inner and outer tube sections with which they are associated. As a result, these assemblies have proven to be difficult and expensive to manufacture. Another limitation of these assemblies is that their locking assemblies impose uneven locking forces around the circumferences of the tube sections. This minimizes the ability of these assemblies to hold the tube sections in place when exposed to significant amounts of strain or tension. Consequently, in some environments, both the utility and acceptability of these telescoping rod assemblies has proven to be not much more than that of conventional telescoping rod assemblies.